Israeli Forces Penetrate the Bedouin Village and Rafah, Tightening the Siege in Gaza

On Thursday 5 September 2002, the Israeli occupation forces invaded the Bedouin Village, north of the Gaza Strip.
Eyewitnesses reported that about 15 Israeli tanks and military vehicles entered the village and broke into Hamza Primary School.
The soldiers terrified pupils by searching classes while they were still inside.
They also surrounded the village council office and the clinic, holding members of staff in detention even after checking their ID.
Pupils were allowed to leave school at 10:30, while the council and clinic’s staff were still detained at the time this issue was released.
It is worth mentioning that these forces are still refusing to release for burial the corpse of a Palestinian whom they killed just before the incursion in the village.
In a separate attack, at around 6 A.
M.
the same day, these forces have entered the As-Salam neighborhood on the Rafah-Egypt border.
Eyewitnesses in the area said that Israeli bulldozers partially destroyed four homes.
Al Mezan knew that three of the homes are owned by Subhi Ismail Abu Arar, Abdul Rahman Ali Abdul Al and Hilmi Mustafa Abu Jabr.
Furthermore, the Israeli forces blocked the Salah ad-Din Street, the main street in the Gaza Strip, at Al-Hikir and ash-Shuhada crossing points.
The occupation forces have permanent checkpoints in these two areas.
According to Al Mezan records, the Al Hikir point has been closed for almost two years.
Palestinians have been denied movement through the other checkpoint for a long time and were allowed for three days last week starting on 2 September 2002.
Al Mezan is highly concerned with the continued Israeli aggression against Palestinian civilians and the ongoing collective punishment of them causing loss in lives and property.
The Center calls upon the international community, especially the High Contracting Parties of the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of war, of 12 August, 1949, to intervene immediately and put the Convention into force in the OPTs and put an end to the Israeli violations of the conventions and of the Palestinian civilian population human rights.
END